Biofuel Industry Punts On RFS Reform Debate In 2013 To Defend Program

摘要

Advanced biofuel groups are dropping plans to push Congress in 2013 for long-term legislative changes for EPA's renewable fuel standard (RFS) that could include adding new feedstocks to the program, and are instead shifting their focus to a major defense of the RFS from increasing attacks by the oil industry and other critics.In lieu of legislative measures to achieve the advanced biofuel industry's goals, sources from the sector say they will instead pursue other options for promoting their fuels. For example, biofuel groups have begun discussions with lawmakers' offices and are making initial outreach to EPA on policy options to supplant the RFS by creating a national low carbon fuel standard (LCFS), which would incentivize fuels with low greenhouse gases (GHGs).The RFS - which sets production goals for renewable fuels, such as corn ethanol - is facing multiple attacks from critics, due to alleged fraud in the renewable identification number (RIN) credit trading program for the standard, and also rising corn prices due to both the drought and increased demand for corn to produce ethanol.